1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to gas turbine engines and, in particular, to a gas path liner included, for example, in an exhaust nozzle for a gas turbine engine.
2. Background Information
A gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle is typically subject to relatively high gas path temperatures. Components of the exhaust nozzle therefore may be thermally shielded with gas path liners and/or cooled with cooling air to prolong engine life and permit higher engine performance and efficiency.
A typical gas path liner may be constructed from a single sheet of metal such as Columbium. The gas path liner may be fixedly secured to a respective nozzle component at a plurality of connection points. Such a gas path liner configuration, however, may subject the nozzle component and itself to relatively high internal stresses as the gas path liner material thermally expands relative to the nozzle component material. In addition, materials such as Columbium are relatively expensive and, thus, may be cost prohibitive. While some less expensive alternative heat shield materials may withstand the high gas path temperatures within the exhaust nozzle, they typically have relatively high thermal expansion rates and, thus, may increase internal stresses and cause interference with other engine components.